


these brief guttering flames

by fallenidol_453



Category: The Dragon Prophecy - Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory, The Obsidian Trilogy - Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory
Genre: Implied/Referenced Torture, Not Beta Read, Other, Slavery, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-25 16:46:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16664485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenidol_453/pseuds/fallenidol_453
Summary: One day I got a hankering to write a fanfic for one of the unnamed slaves of the Endarkened and look what happened: a whole series of them.Encompasses both the Obsidian Mountain trilogy and the Dragon Prophecy trilogy. Chapters where these characters appeared will be added if applicable.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very new to tagging, so if I miss a warning in any of the chapters by accident TELL ME and I will add it to the tags ASAP.

Mama’s name was Thetarara and they had watched Vieliessar High King be crowned. Hazaniel had grabbed a handful of a Lady’s fine silk gown and loved how it felt in his grubby fingers. She had been wearing jewels that shined in the sunlight; pretty blues and purples and gold.

When the screams began, Mama had held him tightly in her arms and started running.

But they were pulled up, and _up—_

-

Mama is gone and Hazaniel is alone.

The darkness hurts his eyes and he’s hungry and he’s cold, but no one is there to comfort him. He begs and cries for Mama, to no avail.

He’s the only one making noise when all others around him have fallen into terrified silence.

-

When there is finally light, it is scarlet flames that hurt his eyes. Hazaniel fixes his gaze on who cast the spell, and he is stunned into silence. Horned figures with glowing eyes surround him in the dim light. The biggest one - jeweled as richly as a queen - kneels and beckons.

She is not Mama, but her voice is kind and she’s the first one to be nice to him.

She promises to find his Mama.

It is enough for him to fling himself into her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Blade of Empire, Chapter 11 ]


	2. Chapter 2

Dairt dreams. He dreams of the sun, of the forest, his family…

The Golden City of the Bells had called off its annexation of the Western Hills. If he hadn’t run away, none of this torture would be happening.

A taloned hand runs down his bare torso and he whimpers as the welts begin to form.

“What a pretty human you are…” a male voice purred.

Dairt can’t close his eyes at the sight of his captor, or the fine needles hovering dangerously close will gouge them. He’s ashamed of his body’s reaction to the voice but can’t do anything to find relief: his swollen cock is caged in an inhumane device and his hands are shackled.

He tries to not scream, later. 

Screaming drew an audience. 

Screaming drew an audience who would participate in torturing him.

-

He had tried to fight, in the beginning.

But it's starting to become easier to obey.

Perhaps Goraide was right: maybe he  _had_  wanted to serve his Endarkened masters. That was why he ran, wasn’t it?

… wasn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ The Outstretched Shadow, Chapter 19 ]


	3. Chapter 3

The conversation between Queen Savilla and her Master of Revels was a dim murmur in the vast audience chamber. They do not listen and focus on keeping still and out of sight.

The little goblin leashed next to the queen kept drawing their eye as the conversation wore on.

Its skin shimmered with an oil infused with gold. Pretty enough to touch.

The floor-sweeping robes of the Queen of the Endarkened become creased when she shifts in her seat.

They edge away from their fellow slaves. Fixing the crease is a matter of seconds, and the queen notices nothing. The goblin is close. Close enough to touch.

They reach out.

The goblin hisses and spats at them.

The venomous spit  _burns_. But they are beyond screaming within seconds and can only writhe helplessly as the poison seeps into their skin.

No comfort in the last moments. Their fellow slaves would happily backstab each other to jockey more favor with their Endarkened masters.

It’s a relief to die, in a sense, on their accidental terms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ The Outstretched Shadow, Chapter 13 ]


	4. Chapter 4

He could no longer scream. He could only watch. He cannot look away either. His body is stretched tautly on a frame made of gold and he cannot move.

Slowly, surrounded by creatures of nightmare he had no name for, his torso is eviscerated.

Delicately.

Skin. Muscle. He almost wished the female torturing him would slice a nerve or an artery and end his agony.

But she doesn’t.

He wants to die. He cannot.

His bones are finally exposed, and he lets out a final whimper as his ribs are spread open.

The anticipation in the room grows. He feels it wash over him like poison.

His heart is finally ripped from his chest.

The sweet release of death that sweeps over him is like a comforting balm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Blade of Empire, chapter 11 ]


	5. Chapter 5

she knows what is to come. a slave who vanishes from the pens and isn’t given into servitude or torture is a sacrifice.

she is not afraid. her whole life has been nothing but darkness and serving the Endarkened.

she stands still as she is cleaned and pampered for the first and final time. her blonde hair is braided and affixed with precious gems and pinned to the crown of her head. Lesser Endarkened take over then, and she makes no sound or movement as their brushes paint every inch of her naked body.

she is led to a small chamber. her eyes, long accustomed to darkness, cannot discern her surroundings. when instructed to kneel, she obeys.

and waits.

-

the final words she hears are spoken in a seductive purr. she obeys his command to stand and doesn’t protest when he positions her, tilting her head to the side.

she expects a long torture to fuel the Endarkened’s magic. the quick slice of her neck by a knife is enough to surprise her and undo years of training when she gasps in pain and struggles.

but there is nothing she can do.

she is long dead when the last of her blood leaves her body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ To Light a Candle, Chapter 5 ]

**Author's Note:**

> [ Blade of Empire, Chapter 11 ]


End file.
